Resilient wheel for road-vehicles.



T. ULDFIELD & J. A. SCHOPIELD.

RESILIENI WHEEL IOR ROAD VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 1o, 1909.

Fatented May 17, 1,910.

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T. OLDPIELD @L J. A. SCHOPIELD.

RBSILIBNT WHEEL PoR ROAD VEHGLEs.

APPLIUATION FILED APR.10, 1909.

INJXORS Patented May 17, 1910.

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.NI STATES! PATENT @FFFCE RESILIENT WHEEL FUR ROAD-IlzI-IICl'aEs.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 17, 1910.

Application filed April 10, 1909. Serial No. 489,133.

To all whom it may con-cem:

Be it known that we, TOM OLDFIELD and JosnrH ARTHUR SoHoFrnLD, subjects ot the King ot Great Britain, residing at Halitax, in the county ot York, England, have invented new and usetul Improvements in and Relating to Resilient Wheels tor Road- Vehicles, ot which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to resilient wheels tor motor cars and ot-her road vehicles, ot the type possessing a solid rubber tire or the like and a rigid outer rim or telly; and our object is, iirstly, to provide a more efhcient pneumatic or elastic support tor the hub portion, by which the transmission ot shocks to the body ot the vehicle is greatly lessened, or is prevented; secondly to lessen shock and strain when transmitting the drive to the outer rim or telly, or when stopping; and thirdly to construct said wheel ot tew parts, cheap, and in suoli a manner that it will have the same effect as a wheel mounting a pneumatic tire, but without any ot the disadvantages attending the use ot pneumatic tired wheels. In other constructions ot motor car wheels, it has been proposed to give an elastic or pneumatic support to the hub portion ot the wheel by interposing an inflated tube between the latter and the rigid rim or telly. Another method is the employment ot radiating cylinders corresponding in number,

with the spokes ot the wheel, placed around the underside ot rim. Within each ot these cylinders is a tube, and a block secured to the end ot each spoke is tree to move radially within each tube. All the tubes are maintained in position within the cylinders by surrounding air tubes or cushions inflated simultaneously trom a single air supply. In another construction ot wheel the spokes project into a corresponding number ot caps rigidly connected to the wheel rim, and have plates rigidly connected to their outer ends. Inside and outside each ot the said plates and inclosed by the said caps is an indiarubber cushion or ring against which the spoke ends butter.

According to our invention, we obtain a more efficient pneumatic or elastic support tor the hub portion ot the wheel within the rim or telly, by means ot suitably tormed and separately inflated air cushions, surrounding the ends ot the spokes or wheel arms, and fitting within boxes, cups, or the like secured to, cast, or tormed preterably upon the underside ot said rim. The boxes or cups are preterably divisible in the plane ot the wheel.

The separately inflated air cushions or bladders or boxes correspond in number with the number ot spokes or arms secured to or tormed upon the axle or hub. The ends ot the spokes or arms project into the boxes and embed upon and are surrounded by the air cushions or bladders atoresaid. The latter also, in extending between the sides ot the spokes and the inner sides ot the boxes or bladder chambers in the plane ot the wheel, enable an elastic resistance to be oftered to said arms in either a radial or circumterential direction. Further the air cushions or bladders are adapted to fit the spoke ends, and the latter are ot peculiar shape and hollow. A suitable cover is placed over the open ends ot the atoresaid boxes or bladder chambers to keep out grit or other undesirable matter, and to retain therein a suitable lubricant which is automatically diss charged trom pertorations in the hollow end ot each spoke, tor preventing wear and tear ot the bladders by the rubbing action ot the spokes during running.

Ve attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, ot our improved wheel. Fig. 2 is a sectional end elevation ot Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a side view ot a box or cup carrying our specially constructed and shaped inflated bladders or air cushions. Fig. 4t is an end view ot Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a side elevation ot inflated bladder or air cushion employed in the construction ot our improved wheel. Fig. 6 is a sectional end elevation ot Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is an end elevation ot detachable wheel spoke or arm employed in the construction ot our improved wheel.

Similar letters reter to similar parts throughout the several views.

IVe construct our improved wheel with a divisional rim or telly A, and secure to, cast or torm upon the underside ot such rim, a number ot boxes or chambers B. Both sections ot rim and boxes are bolted together by bolts C passing through web D and lugs E, and the boxes correspond in number with the wheel spokes or arms F. Fitting Within each ot the aforesaid boxes, cups, or chambers, is an independently intlated cushion, bladder, or tube Gr resemi bling a horse shoe in shape, and within the dovetail space H surrounded by the bladder, tits the correspondingly shaped hollow end J of the wheel arms, spokes, or the like. The dovetail or bulbii'orm shape of the spaces H and spoke ends J, enables the latter to get a better purchase when transmitting the drive, and prevents creeping of the bladders or cushions. A suitable elastic or other cover K is placed over the open end of each bladder chamber B, with a neck L gripping a neck M in each arm F; a further neck N is provided through which projects the bladder valve I). A swell R formed on the sides or' the boxes or bladder chambers, is for putting tension on the cover K and retaining` the same in position. The grip ol' the cover and necks upon the boxes, arms, and valve, is such as to render these several joints air and dustproof, and so keep out grit or other undesirable matter. Further in order to prevent wear of the bladders G from the rubbing act-ion of the spokes or the like F during ruiming, we fill the hollow spoke ends J with French chalk or other suitable lubricant, which is discharged automatically into the bladder chamber through the orifices S, and being retained by the cover K, eventually works between the surfaces in frictional contact. Also we preferably construct the spokes or the like so as to be detachable from the hub, by securing each arm between two lugs T upon the hub, by bolts U and nuts V. By this construen tion ol? wheel the ends of the spokes or projections upon the hub portion of the wheel rest upon or are surrounded by separate and independent elastic air cushions or inflated bladders, which permit said hub or axle to move freely and elastically in any direction in the plane of the wheel, and so distribute the Weight of the vehicle or its operating forces more or less over the entire circumference of the wheel.

What we claim is:

l. In a wheel, the combination, with a rim provided with chambers for cushions, of arch-shaped cushions arranged in the said chambers, a hub, arms connected with the hub and provided with bulbs on their outer ends which are inserted in the spaces at the middle parts of the cushions, and caps of elastic material secured over the open end portions of the said chambers and around the middle portions of the said arms as set forth.

2. In a wheel, the combination, with a rim provided with chambers for cushions, of arch-shaped cushions arranged in the said chambers, a hub, arms connected with the hub and provided at their outer ends with hollow bulbs for holding lubricating material, said bulbs having perforations at their inner ends for the gradual delivery of the lubricating material to the chambers, and the outer end and middle portions of the said bulbs being inserted in the spaces at the middle parts of the cushions, and caps of elastic material secured over the open end portions of the said chambers and around the middle portions of the said arms as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specilication in the presence ot two subscribing witnesses.

TOM OLDFIELD. JOSEPH ARTHUR SCi-10F IELD.

Vitnesses ABM. REED, E. OLDFIELD. 

